This Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is one of two that are used by NASA for Earth science missions and by Northrop Grumman for follow-on developmental testing.

This Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is one of two that are used by NASA for Earth science missions and by Northrop Grumman for follow-on developmental testing.

ProjectDescription:

Two Northrop Grumman Global Hawk Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration aircraft are being operated by NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on Earth Science missions and by Northrop Grumman Corp. for Global Hawk technology development testing under a Space Act Agreement. The two pre-production aircraft were transferred from the U.S. Air Force to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in late 2007 to support research conducted by NASA’s Airborne Science Program.

The ability of the unmanned Global Hawk aircraft to autonomously fly long distances and remain aloft for extended periods brings a Global Hawk capability to the science community for measuring, monitoring and observing remote locations of the Earth. The two Global Hawks were the first and sixth aircraft built under the original development program sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and were made available to NASA when the Air Force had no further need for them.